Title
Pro-Environmental Solutions in Architecture - The Problem of Decommissioned Wind Blades
Authors
[ 1 ] Instytut Inżynierii Lądowej, Wydział Budownictwa i Inżynierii Środowiska, Politechnika Poznańska | [ 2 ] Instytut Architektury i Planowania Przestrzennego, Wydział Architektury, Politechnika Poznańska | [ S ] student | [ P ] employee
Scientific discipline (Law 2.0)
Year of publication
2025
Published in
Article type
scientific article
Publication language
english
Keywords
EN
- sustainable architecture
- design
- wind turbine blades
- reuse
- recycling
Abstract
EN Since the 1990s, Polish energy companies have been using new technologies to build wind farms, consisting of large devices. Over the years, the power and the size of installations have increased, and it continues to do so. In Poland, as well as in other countries, a problem with the post-use management of wind turbine blades has appeared. The recycling of wind turbine blades has remained challenging hitherto. The utilization of many different materials and changes in the dimensions cause multi-material waste. Since there are no economically viable recycling technologies available for such large-scale composite products, other treatment strategies for disposed WTBs have to be considered. This study explores the repurposing of WTBs as a pro-environmental alternative approach from a technological and architectural point of view. For this purpose, the study is guided by an analysis of wind turbine locations in reference to the impending need for waste management of wind blades in Poland. Well-profiled blades help transfer a large portion of wind energy to turbine rotors, which is why their construction is a challenge when it comes to designing new objects or elements thereof from decommissioned blades. They have a continuous curvature, where both the cross-section and thickness change, which is why, in the design of architectural or engineering objects, they are cut into smaller parts. This solution makes it possible to optimize the load-bearing properties of individual segments, ensuring a more stable system. Smaller elements also provide greater freedom in shaping architectural forms, which is associated with better control of the final effect from the aesthetic side. The potential of repurposing WTBs is shown, for example, in the design concept for the Archery Centre in Poznan (Poland).
Pages (from - to)
2963-1 - 2963-19
Comments
Article Number: 2963
License type
CC BY (attribution alone)
Open Access Mode
open journal
Open Access Text Version
final published version
Date of Open Access to the publication
at the time of publication
Full text of article
Access level to full text
public
Ministry points / journal
100
Impact Factor
3,3 [List 2023]
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